The Equality of Educational Opportunity Study (1966)--the Coleman Report--lodged a key takeaway in the minds of educators, researchers, and parents: Schools do not strongly shape students' achievement outcomes. This finding has been influential to the field; however, Coleman himself suggested that--had longitudinal data been available to…

This paper derives efficiency scores for around 8,500 schools in 30 countries, using Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 data and a nonparametric approach called data envelopment analysis as method. On average, achievement scores of schools can be increased by 27%, holding inputs constant. Efficiency scores vary considerably both…

As researchers continue to examine the growing number of charter schools in the United States, they have focused attention on the significant heterogeneity of charter effects on student achievement. Our article contributes to this agenda by examining the achievement effects of virtual charter schools vis-à-vis brick-and-mortar charters and…

Short comparative interrupted times series (CITS) designs are increasingly being used in education research to assess the effectiveness of school-level interventions. These designs can be implemented relatively inexpensively, often drawing on publicly available data on aggregate school performance. However, the validity of this approach hinges on…

A growing body of research has been documenting the pivotal role that philanthropic funding plays in advancing state and local charter school reform. However, there is little understanding of the geographic flow of these funding patterns and the market, policy, and organizational conditions that have concentrated funding in some clusters of states…

This brief examined the patterns of reading achievement using statewide data from all students (Grades 3-10) in multiple years to examine gaps based on student, school, and district characteristics. Results indicate reading achievement varied most between students within schools and that students' prior achievement was the strongest predictor of…

Research finds that small high schools deliver better outcomes than large high schools for urban students. An important outstanding question is whether this better performance is gained at the expense of losses elsewhere: Does small school reform lift the whole district? We explore New York City's small high school reform in which hundreds of new…

This article uses data from California to analyze the results of the proposed accountability system in the Senate's Harkin-Enzi draft Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization. The authors analyze existing statewide school-level data from California, applying the accountability criteria proposed in the draft law. Comparing the…

With the premise that schooling should make a difference in students' everyday experience, the authors synthesize research on the influence of school learning on students' out-of-school experience by addressing the contributions and shortcomings of four research areas: (a) transfer, (b) out-of-school learning environments, (c) school-prompted…

Argues that the quality of work life literature is both appropriate and useful for understanding and improving the effectiveness and quality of school life. Suggests that both quality and effectiveness of learning and school operations can be improved by adopting participative management models and innovations. (CJM)

Examines factors that might explain the increased interest in research on school effectiveness; summarizes three articles that deal with school improvement and effectiveness research; and stresses the importance of using exceptional schools' research in developing school improvement strategies. (MJL)

Examines research reviews on exceptional schools and summarizes findings on the leadership, efficacy, and efficiency dimensions of effective schooling. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of the research, and suggests ways that research can be used to improve schools. (MJL)

The differences between school learning and other learning are discussed. To make these types of learning more similar, schools must develop students' skills slowly and must stress practical problem solving. Education then will be fulfilling its cultural function of promoting reason and analysis based on shared knowledge. (VM)

This article responds to Wineburg's critique of the "Pygmalion" study focusing on the self-fulfilling prophesy. The validity and tenability of the hypothesis are examined in relation to well-known critiques. The conclusion is that there is such a phenomenon and that it is quite applicable to teachers' expectations of students. (VM)

Reanalyzes 12th-grade data from the "High School and Beyond" study in order to resolve controversies regarding the original analysis, its methodology, and secondary studies it generated. Finds no evidence that private schools produce superior cognitive achievement, once their students' socioeconomic characteristics and extramural…